CHAPTER 437: CHAPTER 437: COMING OF AGE (PART 1)

Li Ying lightly entered the room.

County Magistrate Cui had just had a bowl of hangover soup. Seeing his wife return, he picked up another bowl of warm hangover soup and handed it over. Li Ying naturally reached out to take it and drank it slowly.

County Magistrate Cui asked with a smile of interest, "The Commandery Princess specifically kept you and a few others behind. What did she talk about?"

Li Ying did not hide anything and told him about the Commandery Princess’s plan to submit a memorial to appoint female officials. County Magistrate Cui thought for a moment and said, "This matter is difficult."

"The court turns a blind eye to the appointment of female officials in Nanyang County, pretending not to know. Now that the Commandery Princess wants to give the female officials formal positions and appointment documents, it must be approved through court discussion, and it has to go through the Ministry of Personnel. Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Personnel and Prime Minister Wang are in cahoots, and they will certainly oppose and obstruct this in every possible way."

Li Ying laughed softly and said, "The Commandery Princess said there’s no rush for this. First, submit the memorial, and when the court rejects it, submit another one. Slowly keep at it for one or two years until the court gives way."

"The Commandery Princess also said that the court treats Nanyang County like a granary, coming to levy military grain from time to time, and even transferring new seed grain from Nanyang County. How can this be possible without exchanging some benefits?"

County Magistrate Cui also laughed: "That makes sense. Over these years, our Nanyang County has contributed so much grain to the court, prevented plagues, and peacefully reclaimed Pingzhou. Achievement after achievement, the Commandery Princess just wants to establish a few female officials; why can’t they agree to it?"

When someone takes others’ things, their hands are tied, and when they eat others’ food, they can’t speak tough. The court has both of these; how can they be tough when facing the Commandery Princess’s memorial?

This matter will take some grinding, and the possibility of success isn’t small either.

County Magistrate Cui looked his wife up and down: "In a couple of years, your position might be higher than mine. By then, will I have to pay respect to you?"

Li Ying chuckled endlessly: "That’s uncertain."

After the couple joked around, they talked about another important matter: "The Commandery Princess’s birthday falls on the Lantern Festival, and this year is her fifteenth birthday when she will hold the coming-of-age ceremony. Since we are at the Prince Mansion, we might as well stay a bit longer. After the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony, we’ll return."

County Magistrate Cui nodded repeatedly in agreement.

The coming-of-age ceremony is one of the most important days in a woman’s life, second only to marriage. Once the ceremony is over, the Commandery Princess officially becomes an adult, meaning she can start discussing marriage proposals.

"The Commandery Princess will not marry but will take a husband into the household." Li Ying whispered, "In your opinion, who would be Elder Changning’s competitor?"

County Magistrate Cui laughed softly: "There will certainly be no shortage. On the day of the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony, who knows how many distinguished guests will come to witness it. Just wait and see the excitement!"

Becoming a husband who marries into the family is originally not a very glamorous thing. However, it depends on who the family taking in the husband is.

Nanyang County Princess Jiang Shaohua is unrivaled in talent and beauty, wealthy, with grain, soldiers, and power, her influence covers Jingzhou and Pingzhou, and her reputation is extremely high in the northern provinces. Even in the court, she has a significant influence, supported by the Grand Empress Dowager and trusted by Emperor Taihe. Though she has political opponents like Prime Minister Wang, being able to stand against such a Prime Minister is itself a thing to be proud of.

The benefits of marrying into the Nanyang Prince Mansion are obvious and desirable. The noble families of the North are restless. Even the Qinghe Cui Family has taken an interest.

"The patriarch sent me a letter a few days ago, saying they want to send people to Nanyang County to attend the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony." County Magistrate Cui grinned and continued: "Among them is my cousin."

The cousin County Magistrate Cui mentioned is the ninth-ranked direct grandson of the Qinghe Cui Family’s patriarch. He had no talent for studying and, at sixteen, still hadn’t passed the scholar exams. In the talent-filled Qinghe Cui Family, it’s practically considered having no prospects.

Once the patriarch set his mind on it, he didn’t even care about the less-than-pleasant reputation of being a husband who marries into the family and directly arranged for Cui Jiulang to be on the list of attendees. The meaning of the letter to County Magistrate Cui was self-evident.

Li Ying immediately said, "Don’t get involved in this. Jiulang is of ordinary talent and appearance, not at all comparable to Elder Changning. The Commandery Princess would never be interested in him."

County Magistrate Cui replied with a hum: "Even I wouldn’t take a fancy to him, let alone the Commandery Princess."

...

Quite a few county magistrates, like County Magistrate Cui and his wife, had decided to stay to watch the ceremony.

Chief Historian Feng reported to Jiang Shaohua, who casually smiled: "The more, the merrier. They’ve been busy all year round; it’s just as well for them to stay a few more days as if on vacation."

Chief Historian Feng laughed: "The invitations for the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony have all been sent out. However, according to my estimation, there will be no shortage of uninvited guests. So, we should prepare more banquets, about thirty tables."

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly: "Let Chief Historian Feng handle this matter."

Chief Historian Feng, though doing the job of the Right Chief Historian, was as diligent as the Chief Steward of the Prince Mansion’s internal affairs. Big or small, he had to oversee everything, and he nodded in agreement at these words.

The siblings, Lu Ying and Lu Ruohua, also insisted on staying to witness the ceremony. Aunt Mei would not object to this and whispered to her two children: "The days of studying are long; you must not miss the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony. You did the right thing."

Lu Ruohua, after a year of studying in Ye County, had grown much taller and was becoming more lively: "Mother, I want to prepare a gift myself to give to my sister."

Aunt Mei smiled and gently touched her daughter’s delicate face; "Good, with your heart, the Commandery Princess will be very pleased."

Going out to study, broadening horizons, is wonderful!

The once somewhat shy and reserved Lu Ruohua had, in just one year, seemed to be unfastened from shackles, growing freely, her brows lively and bright.

County Magistrate Cui and Li Ying were both brimming with talent, and Cui Wenxiu was also a daughter of a noble family. With their care, it was ten times better than having a timid and useless parent like her.

Even if Lu Xuan often beat and humiliated her over this matter, it was worth it.

Lu Ying softly asked, "Mother, did father hit you again?"

Aunt Mei denied without thinking: "No, this is the Nanyang Prince Mansion, the Commandery Princess looks after me often, and your father, though unhappy, only scolds me a bit but dares not hit."

The scars were well covered by thick clothing, impossible to see from the outside.

Lu Ying was fully aware of his father’s real temper and demeanor, his gaze dimmed for a moment before he quietly said: "When I grow up and pass the exams to become an official, mother will go with me."

Aunt Mei’s heart was warm, and she smiled in agreement.

She belonged to the Nanyang Prince Mansion, and the life contracts of her parents and brothers were also in the Commandery Princess’s hands. How could she possibly leave the Nanyang Prince Mansion?

The Commandery Princess needed her to keep an eye on Lu Xuan, and she had to do her job well, not to disappoint the Commandery Princess.

...

In the following days, a constant stream of distinguished guests arrived at Nanyang County.

The noble families like Qinghe Cui, Boling Cui, Xingyang Zheng, Longxi Li, and Fanyang Lu all sent people. From the twenty provinces in the north, half of the Inspector Mansions sent people.

From the Capital City, officials having associations with the Nanyang Prince Mansion also sent people with gifts.

On the thirteenth of the first month, people from the Grand Empress Dowager and Emperor Taihe also arrived at the Prince Mansion.